—Poetry by Taylor Graham,
Placerville, CA
—And then scroll down to
Form Fiddlers’ Friday for poetry by
Stephen Kingsnorth, Claire J. Baker,
Nolcha Fox, and Joyce Odam
—And then scroll down to
Form Fiddlers’ Friday for poetry by
Stephen Kingsnorth, Claire J. Baker,
Nolcha Fox, and Joyce Odam
PHONE, RAVEN
Shall I call it instinct or serendipity or
Muse? Stopping here for our morning walk—
empty Cinema parking lot with just two cars
by the berry-bramble creek marked
No Trespassing—homeless campers still
asleep, I guess. My dog and I walk
along the bramble fringes—a handful
of glossy black, ripe berries before breakfast!
A narrow path to the Cinema’s backside.
A raven calls. Two glossy black ravens
pass low overhead. I think there are three,
now landing on the roof. One pauses
for a photo-op—I got it with my phone!
No doubt they’ve come for a special fly-in
appearance in the film Nevermore.
Shall I call it instinct or serendipity or
Muse? Stopping here for our morning walk—
empty Cinema parking lot with just two cars
by the berry-bramble creek marked
No Trespassing—homeless campers still
asleep, I guess. My dog and I walk
along the bramble fringes—a handful
of glossy black, ripe berries before breakfast!
A narrow path to the Cinema’s backside.
A raven calls. Two glossy black ravens
pass low overhead. I think there are three,
now landing on the roof. One pauses
for a photo-op—I got it with my phone!
No doubt they’ve come for a special fly-in
appearance in the film Nevermore.
ACROSS BORDERS
Signs outside supermarket: shopping carts will lock
if taken beyond parking lot perimeter.
This morning I’m wandering perimeters. Behind
walled & gated dumpsters, by a propane tank
pedestal, what do I find?
One Queen Anne’s lace in bloom. Metal chair
borrowed from the juice-bar patio, with
snack wrappers, plastic cup, well-traveled 6-pack
of donuts unopened…. Who sat here,
come from whence & going where after?
I keep walking. Early morning birdsong—
House Sparrow and Eurasian Collared-Dove—
species originally from lands far across
the oceans. Having wings, they find
safe haven here.
UNPROTECTED CROSSING
Here’s no flashing red lights or
lowering gates, no signaling
flagman, no stop sign. This old train
only runs on Sunday.
These tracks I’ve driven across so
often—wanderlust of rails that
disappear in foliage and the
fragile distance of dreams.
There’s hardly space to park my car
as I wish to walk the rails. Pause,
listen for a whistle. Silence
follows dreams down the track.
MOON-HOWL VALLEY
We ventured the back road too early.
Snowdrift stopped us short of the cow-camp
meadow still melting into creek. No more
outward-bound—not this late afternoon.
Far behind us, home and its amenities.
We pitched our little tent. Emergency ration
dry kibble for dogs, Dinty Moore stew
for us. Mummy bags on hard ground. Wind
rustling tent-flap, yelp and wail and crooning
of coyotes echoing from dream to waking,
echoing in stories we tell, years after.
We ventured the back road too early.
Snowdrift stopped us short of the cow-camp
meadow still melting into creek. No more
outward-bound—not this late afternoon.
Far behind us, home and its amenities.
We pitched our little tent. Emergency ration
dry kibble for dogs, Dinty Moore stew
for us. Mummy bags on hard ground. Wind
rustling tent-flap, yelp and wail and crooning
of coyotes echoing from dream to waking,
echoing in stories we tell, years after.
BLACK ON GRAY
Skeleton trees. The winds prevail,
ash to ash along the trail.
This was the forest wild and green.
Then flame subsided to a scene
of charcoal gray with black between—
ash to ash along the trail.
It’s silent now, but song of bird
is sometimes in the burn-scar heard.
We try to translate word for word:
ash to ash along the trail.
Skeleton trees. The winds prevail,
ash to ash along the trail.
This was the forest wild and green.
Then flame subsided to a scene
of charcoal gray with black between—
ash to ash along the trail.
It’s silent now, but song of bird
is sometimes in the burn-scar heard.
We try to translate word for word:
ash to ash along the trail.
POSTHUMOUS
It fell in the storm and was chain-
sawed into stove-lengths, the stump-end
too massive to cut. Liveoak’s dead
but it will keep us warm
for winters to come. And look, what’s
that green among dry tangled roots
cloyed with sun-baked mud? A new live
shoot refusing to die.
Today’s LittleNip:
WHO NEEDS DUCKS IN A ROW?
—Taylor Graham
What do they mean, these ducks along the trail?
You can’t go wrong—you’re just amused
by rock upon rock to show you a route
you well know, this paved path so well used.
___________________
Medusa’s thanks and the approval of Raven (high praise indeed!) to Taylor Graham for tales of the Sierra this morning. Forms she has sent us today include two Ryūka chains (“Unprotected Crossing” & “Posthumous”); a Toddaid (“Who Needs Ducks in a Row?”); and a Zehel (“Black on Gray”). The Toddaid and the Zehel were last week’s Triple-F Challenges.
This coming Sunday, July 30, Beverly Baranyo and J.C. Olander will read at Chateau Davell in Camino. For more about this and about other El Dorado County poetry events, past and future, go to Taylor Graham's Western Slope El Dorado poetry on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ElDoradoCountyPoetry/. And click on Medusa's UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS (http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/wtf.html) for details about future poetry events in the NorCal area—keep an eye on this link and on the Kitchen for happenings that might pop up during the week.
WHO NEEDS DUCKS IN A ROW?
—Taylor Graham
What do they mean, these ducks along the trail?
You can’t go wrong—you’re just amused
by rock upon rock to show you a route
you well know, this paved path so well used.
___________________
Medusa’s thanks and the approval of Raven (high praise indeed!) to Taylor Graham for tales of the Sierra this morning. Forms she has sent us today include two Ryūka chains (“Unprotected Crossing” & “Posthumous”); a Toddaid (“Who Needs Ducks in a Row?”); and a Zehel (“Black on Gray”). The Toddaid and the Zehel were last week’s Triple-F Challenges.
This coming Sunday, July 30, Beverly Baranyo and J.C. Olander will read at Chateau Davell in Camino. For more about this and about other El Dorado County poetry events, past and future, go to Taylor Graham's Western Slope El Dorado poetry on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ElDoradoCountyPoetry/. And click on Medusa's UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS (http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/wtf.html) for details about future poetry events in the NorCal area—keep an eye on this link and on the Kitchen for happenings that might pop up during the week.
A late note that today is Taylor Graham's birthday! Happy b-day, TG!
Now it’s time for…
FORM FIDDLERS’ FRIDAY!
There’s also a page at the top of Medusa’s Kitchen called, “FORMS! OMG!!!” which expresses some of my (take ‘em or leave 'em) opinions about the use of forms in poetry writing, as well as listing some more resources to help you navigate through Form Quicksand. Got any more resources to add to our list? Send them to kathykieth@hotmail.com for the benefit of all man/woman/poetkind!
* * *
Last Week’s Ekphrastic Photo
We received responses to last week’s Ekphrastic photo of the old truck from Stephen Kingsnorth, Claire Baker, and Nolcha Fox:
DUPONT M6284
—Stephen Kingsnorth, Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales
Whose root, if followed, finds this form,
some eastern bloc, or western state?
No middle England contemplate—
sheet metal, shade not of our type,
nor template for our driving mode.
This hex could paint a school en route,
or taxi down LaGuardia,
long distance travel, plain to see,
across the tundra—drab required—
or dumped in tumbleweed, harsh rays.
Here’s both a bonnet and a hood,
one dated, dainty, novel wear,
the other held up, gangster ware;
but neither bear canary cage,
Dupont M6284 paint.
What shapes the outline, crafts design,
or moulds how normal is defined,
that I can view a commonplace
and, reading signs, might plot its place,
the context of its culture’s face?
* * *
MORNING POPPIES
—Claire J. Baker
Have you,
like me, fingered
sunlight for ideal warmth,
before whispering: open wide.
poppies?
* * *
LOST AGAIN
—Nolcha Fox, Buffalo, WY
I thought I followed where you led,
I walked your breadcrumb trail.
I followed the red arrows
that pointed right on one-way streets
where traffic flowed to left.
Now I’m the one that’s left behind.
I don’t know where you’ve gone.
The birds have eaten all the crumbs,
and I’m a fool to think you cared
enough to wait for me.
* * *
THUMBING A RIDE
—Nolcha Fox
She stands on a dark country road,
thumb out, looking for a ride.
I’ve seen her fractured face
at the bottom of a bottle,
in the needle tracks to
the edge of a cliff.
Her leather jacket stinks
of burnt rubber racing
across the railroad tracks.
This is one hitchhiker to hell
I don’t pick up.
* * *
Don’t give me
jump-out-of-a-plane thrills
while I wonder if you packed
a parachute for two.
I’ll cover you with kisses
if you pack your lunch for work.
Don’t drive us on empty
with no gas
for the next 22 miles.
I’ll clean the car windows
if you fill the washing machine.
Love isn’t all adrenaline.
It isn’t all bravado.
It’s showing up every day,
even when you want
to run away.
—Nolcha Fox
* * *
Here is a graceful Pirouette from Joyce Odam:
FOR BROKEN THINGS
—Joyce Odam
Something as joyful as
a humming bird in flight . . .
a sheer-winged dragonfly,
a butterfly, a moth—
all these can still the heart.
All these can still the heart
which grieves the smallest loss :
the damage that befalls,
the happenstance of death—
all life too swift for love.
PIROUETTE: Ten 6-syllable lines in three
stanzas, a turn-around in the middle: 4 lines,
2 lines (the turn), 4 lines. The two center lines
repeat, with a twist in contrast in next four lines.
* * *
Bravo to Stephen Kingsnorth! This poem of his has been nominated in The Ekphrastic Review for Best of the Net. Congratulations, Stephen!
—Joyce Odam
Something as joyful as
a humming bird in flight . . .
a sheer-winged dragonfly,
a butterfly, a moth—
all these can still the heart.
All these can still the heart
which grieves the smallest loss :
the damage that befalls,
the happenstance of death—
all life too swift for love.
PIROUETTE: Ten 6-syllable lines in three
stanzas, a turn-around in the middle: 4 lines,
2 lines (the turn), 4 lines. The two center lines
repeat, with a twist in contrast in next four lines.
* * *
Bravo to Stephen Kingsnorth! This poem of his has been nominated in The Ekphrastic Review for Best of the Net. Congratulations, Stephen!
—Public Domain Art Courtesy
of Stephen Kingsnorth
WAILING WALL
—Stephen Kingsnorth
A balanced art composed to bring
diagonals of blue, soak red,
reflecting acrobatic swing—
but shed composure, fallen, bled.
Sneer ace of spades in circus grin
joins daylight owl awaiting death,
hug leotard, pale second skin
save flush of loins, last bandaged breath.
So close to wight, this white of son,
thin border in this fairground haunt,
witch, cartomante, bohemian,
pietà boy at heart, now taunts.
Juggle the trumpet, tambourine.
last trump to greet with joys or fears,
performance dogs claw, paw with whine,
site sheer flesh costumes, drapes in tears.
Reading their runes, here parents fail,
with tricks of trade done, plain wall-slung,
exquisite laid by wailing veil,
What cost, the moneymaking young?
_____________________
Many thanks to our SnakePals for their brave fiddling! Would you like to be a SnakePal? All you have to do is send poetry—forms or not—and/or photos and artwork to kathykieth@hotmail.com. We post work from all over the world, including that which was previously-published. Just remember: the snakes of Medusa are always hungry!
_____________________
TRIPLE-F CHALLENGES!
See what you can make of these challenge, and send it/them to kathykieth@hotmail.com! (No deadline.) Here is a Burmese Brain-Buster, the Ya-Du:
•••Ya-du: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/ya-du-poetic-forms
•••AND/OR try a Zappai, what Robert Lee Brewer of Writer's Digest calls “just another 3-liner form”, but differentiates it from the Haiku and the Senryu. This is only pertinent, of course, for those of you who differentiate those two anyway; for those of you who don’t, it might be a useful exercise to try writing one of each type:
•••Zappai: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/zappai-poetic-form
•••AND/OR catch your breath and join Joyce Odam in spinning a Pirouette:
•••Pirouette: poetryforms.blogspot.com/2013/04/pirouette-10-line-poem-with-6-syllables.html
•••See also the bottom of this post for another challenge, this one an Ekphrastic photo.
•••And don’t forget each Tuesday’s Seed of the Week! This week it’s “Dietary Indiscretions”.
____________________
MEDUSA’S FORM FINDER: Links to poetry terms mentioned today:
•••Ekphrastic Poem: notesofoak.com/discover-literature/ekphrastic-poetry
•••Pirouette: poetryforms.blogspot.com/2013/04/pirouette-10-line-poem-with-6-syllables.html
•••Ryūka: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryūka
•••Toddaid: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/toddaid-poetic-forms
•••Ya-du: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/ya-du-poetic-forms
•••Zappai: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/zappai-poetic-form
•••Zejel: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/zejel-poetic-forms
____________________
—Medusa
•••Ya-du: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/ya-du-poetic-forms
•••AND/OR try a Zappai, what Robert Lee Brewer of Writer's Digest calls “just another 3-liner form”, but differentiates it from the Haiku and the Senryu. This is only pertinent, of course, for those of you who differentiate those two anyway; for those of you who don’t, it might be a useful exercise to try writing one of each type:
•••Zappai: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/zappai-poetic-form
•••AND/OR catch your breath and join Joyce Odam in spinning a Pirouette:
•••Pirouette: poetryforms.blogspot.com/2013/04/pirouette-10-line-poem-with-6-syllables.html
•••See also the bottom of this post for another challenge, this one an Ekphrastic photo.
•••And don’t forget each Tuesday’s Seed of the Week! This week it’s “Dietary Indiscretions”.
____________________
MEDUSA’S FORM FINDER: Links to poetry terms mentioned today:
•••Ekphrastic Poem: notesofoak.com/discover-literature/ekphrastic-poetry
•••Pirouette: poetryforms.blogspot.com/2013/04/pirouette-10-line-poem-with-6-syllables.html
•••Ryūka: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryūka
•••Toddaid: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/toddaid-poetic-forms
•••Ya-du: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/ya-du-poetic-forms
•••Zappai: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/zappai-poetic-form
•••Zejel: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/zejel-poetic-forms
____________________
—Medusa
Today's Ekphrastic Challenge!
Make what you can of today's
photo, and send your poetic results to
kathykieth@hotmail.com/. (No deadline.)
* * *
—Public Domain Photo Courtesy
Make what you can of today's
photo, and send your poetic results to
kathykieth@hotmail.com/. (No deadline.)
* * *
—Public Domain Photo Courtesy
of Joe Nolan, Stockton, CA
Photos in this column can be enlarged by
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
Photos in this column can be enlarged by
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
Sleek black raven
peers down from the roof.
He’s still the boss!
